Power management device, method, and program

Abstract

A power management device includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes: gradually increasing a power-equivalent value that is equivalent to an amount of permitted power consumption by a plurality of power consuming appliances and that is accumulated in a management accumulation section; and according to requests from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, allocating the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances within a range such that the power-equivalent value does not become a predetermined limit value or lower.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power management device comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor perform a procedure, the procedure including:
 gradually increasing a power-equivalent value that is equivalent to an amount of permitted power consumption by a plurality of power consuming appliances and that is accumulated in a management accumulation section; and 
 according to requests from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, allocating the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances within a range such that the power-equivalent value does not become a predetermined limit value or lower. 
   
     
     
         2 . The power management device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 when gradually increasing the power-equivalent value, the power-equivalent value is gradually increased by a value obtained by dividing an estimated value, of a total amount of power to be consumed during a specific time period by the plurality of power consuming appliances, by the specific time period.   
     
     
         3 . The power management device of  claim 1 , wherein the procedure further comprises:
 receiving a surplus power-equivalent value returned from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, that is equivalent to an amount of power remaining from out of the power amounts equivalent to the power-equivalent values allocated to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances after consumption of power in each of the power consuming appliances has finished.   
     
     
         4 . The power management device of  claim 1  wherein, when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating a total amount of a requested power-equivalent value all at once, allocation of the power-equivalent value is not made to the power consuming appliance if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than the power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The power management device of  claim 1 , wherein, when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating any power-equivalent value capable of being allocated from out of a requested power-equivalent value, if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than a power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance, then the value obtained by subtraction is allocated to the power consuming appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The power management device of  claim 1 , wherein, when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, the limit value varies according to a degree of emergency of the request from the power consuming appliance. 
     
     
         7 . A power management method comprising:
 by a processor, gradually increasing a power-equivalent value that is equivalent to an amount of permitted power consumption by a plurality of power consuming appliances and that is accumulated in a management accumulation section; and   by the processor, according to requests from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, allocating the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances within a range such that the power-equivalent value does not become a predetermined limit value or lower.   
     
     
         8 . The power management method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 when gradually increasing the power-equivalent value, the power-equivalent value is gradually increased by a value obtained by dividing an estimated value, of a total amount of power to be consumed during a specific time period by the plurality of power consuming appliances, by the specific time period.   
     
     
         9 . The power management method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving a surplus power-equivalent value returned from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, which is equivalent to an amount of power remaining among the power amounts equivalent to the power-equivalent values allocated to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances after consumption of power in each of the power consuming appliances has finished.   
     
     
         10 . The power management method of  claim 7 , wherein
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating a total amount of a requested power-equivalent value all at once, allocation of the power-equivalent value is not made to the power consuming appliance if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than the power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance.   
     
     
         11 . The power management method of  claim 7 , wherein
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating any power-equivalent value capable of being allocated from out of a requested power-equivalent value, if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than a power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance, then the value obtained by subtraction is allocated to the power consuming appliance.   
     
     
         12 . The power management method of  claim 7 , wherein
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, the limit value varies according to a degree of emergency of the request from the power consuming appliance.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute a power management process, the process comprising:
 gradually increasing a power-equivalent value that is equivalent to an amount of permitted power consumption by a plurality of power consuming appliances and that is accumulated in a management accumulation section; and   according to requests from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, allocating the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances within a range such that the power-equivalent value does not become a predetermined limit value or lower.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 13 , wherein in the power management process:
 when gradually increasing the power-equivalent value, the power-equivalent value is gradually increased by a value obtained by dividing an estimated value, of a total amount of power to be consumed during a specific time period by the plurality of power consuming appliances, by the specific time period.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 13 , wherein the power management process further comprises:
 receiving a surplus power-equivalent value returned from each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, which is equivalent to an amount of power remaining among the power amounts equivalent to the power-equivalent values allocated to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances after consumption of power in each of the power consuming appliances has finished.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 13 , wherein in the power management process:
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating a total amount of a requested power-equivalent value all at once, allocation of the power-equivalent value is not made to the power consuming appliance if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than the power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 13 , wherein in the power management process:
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, in cases in which a request from the power consuming appliance includes a condition of allocating any power-equivalent value capable of being allocated from out of a requested power-equivalent value, if a value obtained by subtracting the limit value from the power-equivalent value accumulated in the management accumulation section is less than a power-equivalent value requested by the power consuming appliance, then the value obtained by subtraction is allocated to the power consuming appliance.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable recording medium of  claim 13 , wherein in the power management process:
 when allocating the power-equivalent values to each of the plurality of power consuming appliances, the computer varies the limit value according to a degree of emergency of the request from the power consuming appliance.